44% say rail fares are too expensive

Many people are being put off travelling by train because of the cost.

Campaign for Better Transport found that 44% of people are deterred from using trains because fares are too expensive.

But people’s minds could be changed, as 71% said they’d be more likely to use trains if fares were lower.

Meanwhile, 42% said they’d be tempted onto the railways if the booking experience was easier, both in person and online.

And 40% said they want to see bus and rail ticketing be more integrated.

Government should cap cost of long-distance tickets

One key problem is that the cheapest tickets are only available to people who can book months in advance and travel on specific trains.

Meanwhile, it’s more expensive to travel on more popular services at peak times and if you’re buying tickets closer to the day of travel.

Campaign for Better Transport believes this is harming rail’s competitiveness with “other, less sustainable” forms of travel, such as driving.

It’s now called on the government to make rail travel more affordable by capping long-distance fares, and not penalise people who can’t book in advance or need more flexibility.

Michael Solomon Williams, spokesperson for the group, said: “Unaffordable rail fares have been a serious problem for many years, with potential passengers put off taking the train, and existing passengers priced off the railway.

“Whilst there have been some attempts to simplify the fares system, root and branch reform is desperately needed.”

He added that the creation of Great British Railways gives the government an “ideal opportunity” to “fix fares for good” and create a fairer system that gives people “more of an incentive to choose the train”.

Convenience a big issue for passengers

Another problem that’s putting people off using the train is its reliability and convenience.

Nearly four in ten people say it’s more convenient to drive, while others are put off by factors such as regular delays, cancellations and the frequency of services.

But more than half said they’d be more likely to use the train if it ran on time and there were fewer cancellations.

A similar number added that they’d take trains more if they weren’t as crowded and there was more space to sit down.